This invention relates generally to portable broilers and griddles, and particularly to an interchangeable broiler/griddle apparatus which is placed on top of a cooking range to quickly adapt the burners of the range into a grill for broiling food or a griddle for frying food.
In most institutional and commercial kitchens, it is desirable to have the capacity to be able to both fry and flame broil large quantities of food at a high rate. In large scale kitchens, these operations are accomplished at dedicated cooking stations, which can only serve one purpose. For example, food is fried on a large, flat metal griddle which is heated from underneath by a heat source, such as a gas burner. Likewise, broiling takes place on a broiler or grill, which consists of a broiling grid suspended a short distance above a gas burner. The grid typically allows liquid grease from the food item being cooked to drip down onto the burner, imparting to the food a charbroiled flavor as the dripping grease is ignited by the burner's flame, as on an outdoor barbecue.
Grills and griddles of the type described are large, expensive fixtures which are capable of performing only their designated functions. In addition to the money and floor space which must be expended to install these units, local health codes typically require that above each unit there be installed a hood or exhaust fan which draws smoke and vaporized grease from the cooking area through a vent to the outdoors.
In smaller kitchens, where it is economically or spatially impractical to install a dedicated cooking station or another hood, a cooking range or stove is utilized for a variety of cooking techniques. For example, frying can take place in a skillet or frying pan which is placed over a burner. Typically, broiling takes place within the range in an enclosed unit which has an overhead heat source. Generally, the rate at which foods can be fried or broiled on a range is significantly lower than that capable of being achieved at a dedicated cooking station, due to size limitations of frying pans and enclosed broilers. In addition, due to the overhead heat source in the broiler, foods cannot be flame-broiled or "charbroiled."
To alleviate the problem of being unable to inexpensively increase cooking capacity, or to add a flame broiler to an often limited kitchen space, portable broilers and griddles have been developed which can adapt the burners of a range into a large, flat griddle, or a flame broiler.
One such device is manufactured by Rainbow Industries and interchangeably forms a grill or griddle. The device consists of a three-sided fire box which surrounds the burners on the range top, and in which a grid on which food is broiled is formed by a plurality of parallel, spaced 1/2 inch angles. Grease from the broiling food drips through the spaces and down to the burners, to give the food a charbroiled flavor. Some of this grease is trapped in larger, 2-inch angles beneath the broiling grid which form the base or support structure of the fire box.
Grease trapped in these larger angles is either vaporized or manually removed upon cleaning. The broiling grid is sloped to drain off the grease that drips into the 1/2 inch angles and into a grease tray at the lower, front end of the broiling grid.
Food frying is achieved on the same unit by placing a large, flat griddle directly on top of the broiling grid. The flat frying surface of the griddle is surrounded on three sides by walls which contain the food on the griddle, while the front of the griddle is unenclosed to permit grease to be scraped off and into the attached grease tray.
This particular portable grill and griddle is useful for adding cooking capacity and options at a low cost, however, it suffers from several drawbacks. First, the grease which drips through the broiling grid mostly remains within the larger angles. Some of this grease burns off to leave a charred stain, which is difficult to clean, and which produces a great deal of smoke, requiring increased exhaust fan capacity. Alternatively, the grease accumulates in the enclosed angle, forming a liquid pool that is heated diectly from beneath by the open flame of the burners, thus creating a fire hazard. Additionally, the pooled grease must somehow be siphoned off or otherwise manually removed after cooking. Since these units are steel and as assembled may weigh over 80 pounds, they are cumbersome and cannot easily be turned upside down to dump out the grease, or carried to a sink to be cleaned.
Secondly, since the griddle sits on top of the broiling grid, which itself is above the support angles, the transfer of heat from the burners to the frying surface of the griddle is slowed. The two layers of steel angles act as a thermal barrier which traps heated air and the burners' flame beneath it. Thus, warm-up time for the griddle is increased. Further, any grease or food which may remain on the grid or supports will burn off during frying, leaving more charred stains.
Thus, a need exists for a portable range top broiler and griddle apparatus which is easy to clean, presents no fire hazards, and heats up quickly.